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The Eight-Word Gatha: Breathing, Nourishing, and Sharing True Presence
In, out, deep, slow, calm, ease, smile, release – this simple eight-word gatha is sung to anchor body and mind in the here and now. Thay offers three foundational poems for practicing mindful breathing, walking, eating, and sitting, and two plain-English mantras to share true presence and recognition with those we love:
- “Darling, I am really here for you.”
- “Darling, I know you are there, and I am very happy.”
Drawing on the Buddha’s Discourse on Mindful Breathing, Thay unpacks:
• The 1st of sixteen breathing exercises – “Breathing in, I know I am breathing in; breathing out, I know I am breathing out,” then noting how breath becomes deep and slow.
• The practice of scanning the body with mindfulness: “Breathing in, I am aware of … . Breathing out, I smile to …,” to restore relaxation, joy, and insight.
• The art of touching pleasant feelings first—joy from a sunset, a sip of water—before courageously embracing pain, illness, or sorrow with the same mindful embrace.
Thay then introduces two of the Buddha’s four sources of nutriment:
• Edible food – eat only what nourishes compassion and life.
• Sensory food – protect eyes, ears, and mind from toxic images, sounds, and conversations.
By practicing these exercises and mindful consumption, we generate the energy of mindfulness to heal our bodies, embrace our feelings, and bring the first and second miracles of mindfulness—true presence and true recognition—into every moment.
